Columbus Short

While Columbus Short kicked off his professional performing career in the late '90s as a touring ensemble dancer in "Stomp," he became a familiar face in TV and film throughout the following decade. B...
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Embattled actor Columbus Short is returning to the small screen in a new made-for-TV movie. The former Scandal star was dropped from the cast of the political drama last April (14) after a series of legal issues, but he has since returned to work as a city councilman for horror film Fear, which will debut on America's TV One network on 13 March (15), reports Eonline.com.

Embattled actor Columbus Short has been slapped with a restraining order from a pregnant lover amid allegations he became abusive and threatened the life of Jamie Foxx during a heated argument. The former Scandal star, who split from his wife Tanee McCall-Short in 2013, stands accused of hurling expletives at personal trainer Agostina Laneri and allegedly hitting her young son, prompting her to obtain a protective order against Short last week (ends30Jan15).
In court papers, Laneri, who has been linked to Short since December (14), claims the actor even dragged Foxx's name into the clash, reportedly telling her, "If I choose to kill one of these n**gas... I will do that. I'm that crazy n**ga that will be on the news as the n**ga that murked (murdered) Jamie Foxx.'"
It is not clear why Short mentioned Foxx during the altercation.
Laneri goes on to accuse her estranged partner of once threatening her, saying, "Don't forget who I am. I have a knife" and previously stating, "Y'all should be very afraid. Very afraid."
Short has yet to respond to the allegations. The 32 year old has been ordered to stay at least 100 yards (91.44 metres) away from Laneri and her son, according to TMZ.com.
It's the latest legal woe for Short, who is due to stand trial for felony battery following a bar brawl in Los Angeles last March (14).
The actor, who previously blamed his troubles on alcohol and drug addictions, is currently on probation after pleading no contest to misdemeanour spousal battery last summer (14) relating to a fight with his estranged wife.

Actor Columbus Short has been ordered to stand trial in his felony battery case. The former Scandal star has pleaded not guilty to assaulting Felton Hyche III during an altercation in March (14) in Los Angeles.
In August (14), a bench warrant was issued for his arrest when the actor was a no-show at a mandatory hearing because he was already behind bars in Los Angeles County jail for skipping a court date in a separate domestic violence case involving his estranged wife Tanee McCall-Short.
He became a wanted man again in October (14) after he was kicked off a flight from Atlanta, Georgia to Los Angeles, where he had been due to face another hearing.
After being ordered to remain in California earlier this month (Dec14), Superior Court Commissioner Mark Zuckman told Short on Tuesday (23Dec14) to stand trial for the charges despite his lawyer's arguments he was acting in self defence.
An arraignment has been scheduled for 6 January (15).
If convicted, he faces up to four years in prison.

Actor Columbus Short is desperate to get back to TV after his legal woes and drug abuse issues cost him his job on hit drama Scandal earlier this year (14). The troubled star insists he left the show on good terms with his castmates and series creator Shonda Rhimes, and he cannot thank them enough for supporting him when he hit a low in his life last year (13), following the suicide of a close friend and a marriage split.
He says, "If we are going to be fully transparent, they protected me and they held me down. They just wanted me to get my stuff together."
Now, after spending six months cleansing himself while working on a new album in Atlanta, Georgia, he's ready to get his old job back - even though his character Harrison Wright was killed off at the start of the current season four.
He tells U.S. news show Access Hollywood Live, "I would love nothing more than to go back to Scandal; that's my family.
"I let them down, I disappointed them. They love me and I love them and we'll leave it at that."

Actor Columbus Short insists a six-month stint in Atlanta, Georgia has helped him overcome the drug and alcohol demons that cost him his job on hit drama Scandal. The You Got Served star turned to "real drugs" and alcohol as his life started to spiral out of control following the death of a close friend and his marriage split, and so he relocated to Atlanta in a bid to get free from the people and places linked to his substance abuse hell in Los Angeles.
In a candid new interview with U.S. news show Access Hollywood Live, he says, "I was struggling with drugs. I had a lot on my plate... I was on the real drugs. I did cocaine and was drinking a lot and trying to balance a 16-hour work day and a family... I lost myself back there.
"It was numbing stuff, a lot of things... I was going through a lot in my marriage, I had a lot of loss, tragic loss. Last year, one of my best friends died, he killed himself... and that kinda started a spiral. I found out while I was on set and it really just took my legs out from under me.
"When anybody's dealing with drugs or alcohol, you need to change your environment... It was accessible to me; I'm on the number one show on television - anything I wanted I could get it.
"I had to move and my therapy really was my album; working on my album changed my life. Music changes things... That's how I got through this."
Short has been dragged back to Los Angeles by a judge who insists he must remain in the city as he faces a string of legal woes, but he insists his time in Georgia has prepared him for a return to his adopted city.
He explains, "I used to come back into L.A. for these court dates and I would drive through the city and I would see triggers... just (bad) memories, places. It took six months for me to get strong enough so I come back to L.A. and really do what I gotta do."
And the actor has publicly thanked pal Wilmer Valderrama for standing by him during his tough year: "I owe a lot of my success getting through this to him. Wilmer has been there for me through a lot of stuff. He's kinda that guy... He was a really good friend."

The estranged wife of troubled TV actor Columbus Short has been charged with battery after her brawl with another woman was caught on camera. Tanee McCall-Short fought with Tilly Key inside the actor's home earlier this year (14) as she believed they were having an affair. The former Scandal star videotaped the incident and Key claimed she suffered concussion and multiple bruises and sprained her lower back.
The Los Angeles City Attorney has now slapped McCall-Short with a criminal battery charge.
McCall-Short filed for divorce from the actor last year (13) after eight years of marriage, and their breakup has been acrimonious, with McCall-Short requesting restraining orders and accusing her ex of domestic violence.
The troubled actor pleaded no contest to misdemeanour spousal battery in August (14) and was handed three years probation and ordered to take a counselling course.
Short is also involved in a battery case stemming from a bar brawl which allegedly occurred in March (14). A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 23 December (14).

Embattled actor Columbus Short has been ordered to stay in California until the next hearing in his felony battery case. The former Scandal star has pleaded not guilty to assaulting alleged victim Felton Hyche III, who claims the actor "viciously lunged" at him after they had a verbal disagreement outside an engagement party at Gabe's Bar and Grill in Rancho Park, Los Angeles in March (14).
A bench warrant was issued for his arrest in August (14), when the actor was a no-show at a mandatory hearing because he was already behind bars in Los Angeles County jail for skipping a court date in a separate domestic violence case. He became a wanted man again in October (14) after he was kicked off a flight from Atlanta, Georgia to Los Angeles, where he had been due to face another hearing.
He returned to court on Tuesday (02Dec14), when a judge banned him from leaving the state. This means Short will have to seek permission to travel for work if he lands a job outside of California.
A preliminary hearing has been set for 23 December (14), when the judge will determine if the battery case should go to trial. Short is also appealing his sentence for allegedly attacking his estranged wife Tanee McCall-Short during a fight in April (14).
He pleaded no contest to the attack as part of a plea deal, and was ordered to serve three years of probation, 30 days of community labour and domestic violence counselling in August (14), however he later claimed he agreed to the sentencing "under duress" - because he was due in court for a hearing in his battery case, and he now wants the charge wiped from his record.
Short has denied striking his estranged wife.

Actor Columbus Short's legal problems just got a little more complicated after the former Scandal star skipped a mandatory court hearing in his felony battery case on Monday (27Oct14). A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge issued a warrant for Short's arrest, revoked the actor's prior bond and doubled his bail after he failed to appear.
Short's lawyer Michael Levin told the court his client was kicked off a flight to Los Angeles from Atlanta, Georgia.
He told the New York Daily News, "His failure to appear was due to circumstances beyond his control."
Short spent several days behind bars recently after missing a court date in August (14).
He has pleaded not guilty to the felony battery of alleged victim Felton Hyche III, who claims the actor "viciously lunged" at him after they had a verbal disagreement outside an engagement party at Gabe's Bar and Grill in Rancho Park, Los Angeles.
Last month (Sep14), Short, who is also battling assault claims from his estranged wife, defiantly stated, "I'm going to fight this all the way."

Troubled actor Columbus Short was hit with a court order demanding he leave his home for failing to pay rent. The former Scandal actor was renting a house in the San Fernando Valley in California but fell allegedly behind on his rent by a month.
The landlord obtained a court order to evict Short, but the actor left of his own accord, according TMZ.com. The landlord is not sure if Short paid off the $7,000 (£4,375) outstanding rent bill.
The star left Scandal over the summer (14), amid a series of troubles in his private life, including accusations he beat up his estranged wife Tanee McCall-Short during a row in April (14). He received a sentence of three years probation, 30 days of community labour, and counselling for domestic violence in August (14).

Embattled actor Columbus Short is celebrating the death of his Scandal character by hosting a send-off party in Atlanta, Georgia on Thursday night (25Sep14). The star departed the hit TV drama over the summer (14), amid a series of troubles in his private life, including accusations he beat up his wife, Tanee McCall-Short, during a row in April (14).
Despite pleading no contest to misdemeanour spousal battery last month (Aug14) and receiving a sentence of three years probation, 30 days of community labour, and counselling for domestic violence, Short wants to expunge the case from his official record, insisting "I didn't do it".
He told the New York Daily News, "I took a deal when I didn't really know what was going on. It was so rushed. I was in custody, and I was trying to make it to (another) courthouse (for another case)... I've never touched a woman, never touched a woman like that in my life. She's (Tanee) just upset, a woman scorned."
And Short isn't about to let the drama overshadow his planned farewell to character Harrison Wright at the Boogalou Lounge in Atlanta.
The actor tipped fans off to his big event via Instagram, revealing he'll also be celebrating the release of his new Scandal-related single Gladiator at the bash.
He wrote, "Before I get too happy for #ScandalThursday premiere, a moment of silence for #Harrison I will miss u."

Summary

While Columbus Short kicked off his professional performing career in the late '90s as a touring ensemble dancer in "Stomp," he became a familiar face in TV and film throughout the following decade. Background roles in popular flicks like "You Got Served" (2004) and "War of the Worlds" (2005) helped land Short his breakout turn as DJ Williams in the surprise hit film "Stomp the Yard" (2007). But as his Hollywood star shone brighter, he refused to abandon his career onstage: Short collaborated with Britney Spears as a choreographer on the pop star's elaborately staged Onyx Hotel Tour in the mid-2000s. In addition to a recurring role on the short-lived, Aaron Sorkin-penned series "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" (NBC, 2006-07), Short starred in such high-profile films as "Quarantine" (2008), "Armored" (2009) and "The Losers" (2010), paving the way for his crucial role as devoted lawyer Harrison Wright on the well-received political drama "Scandal" (ABC, 2012-).

Education

"I just can't relax. That's my problem. Everybody who knows me is like, "Dude, you've got to chill out." I can't not work, given where I want to be." -- from Denver Urban Spectrum, October, 2007

Columbus' leading role of Ty Hackett in the heist film "Armored" was intended for a white actor (Jake Gyllenhaal, Tobey Maguire and Channing Tatum received offers), but he landed the part after convincing Sony Pictures that his close relationship with his young son made him perfect for the role.